Balls used for recreational purposes typically become soiled. For example, in the field of children's playground equipment, pits are filled with a large number of soft, plastic multicolored balls, each approximately three inches in diameter. Children and adults then roll and frolic in the ball-filled pits, thereby soiling the balls. For health and sanitation purposes, the balls are periodically cleaned. Sanitation is particularly important because balls in the ball pit are placed into direct contact with the faces and mouths of adults and children playing therein. Because of this contact, it is important that any chemicals that are used to clean the balls are thoroughly rinsed off.
A number of devices are known to automatically or semiautomatically clean balls. One system has a cylindrical housing in which an elongated screw conveyor is rotatably disposed. The conveyor carries balls from a ball inlet to a ball outlet, the ball inlet and outlet being located at opposite longitudinal ends of the housing.
While these devices are suitable, there exists a need for a ball washer which more thoroughly cleans and rinses balls. Such a device may operate near children playing in ball pits, and therefore should also have an operation which provides visual appeal and stimulation to children. Another consideration is that the balls used in ball pits are often crushed because they are hollow, soft plastic. Ideally, a ball washing device should separate crushed, defective or otherwise irregular balls from normal balls. At the same time, the ideal ball washing device should avoid crushing balls. The unit should be compact. Finally, because of the large number of balls which may require washing, it is desirable to provide ball containers for storing both dirty and clean balls. The apparatus should be semiautomatic so that a human operator is not required to continuously feed balls into the apparatus.